Which response by the nurse would best assist a patient in de-escalating aggressive be-havior?
a. "Tell me what's going on."
b. "Why are you getting so upset?"
c. "If you throw something, you will be restrained."
d. "It's time for group therapy. You can talk there."
ANS: A
Using how, what, and when to gather information is a nonthreatening approach. It will pro-mote patient verbalization and explanation of events without causing the patient to become defensive. Mentioning restraints sounds threatening even though it may be meant to remind the patient of limits. Why questions are demanding and threatening to patients. Sending the patient into group therapy sidesteps the problem.
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